A new report suggests the children were strangled.

In New Zealand, a South African family originally from Pretoria’s three children were found dead by their father recently. According to a new report into what caused their death it has been suggested that the children were strangled with cable ties.

Lauren Dickason, the children’s mother and a 40-year-old doctor has been arrested and accused of murdering their twins aged two and their six-year-old sister. She appeared in court in New Zealand on Saturday.

During the court proceedings, the judge remanded Dickason to a mental institute for physiatric evaluation. She will be staying there to complete tests until 5 October.

Jade Whaley, the family’s neighbour, told Rapport she and her husband were watching television and heard two screams followed by a man crying hysterically. “Is this really happening,” he kept asking.

During her court appearance, Dickason wore a grey hoodie and mainly kept her eyes faced down to the floor as court officials and lawyers were making their case against her.

Several old colleagues of Dickason who worked with her and her husband at Pretoria East Hospital said they were a “perfectly normal” family. 

“He is what you would call a genuinely nice guy … she was more of an introvert; quiet, but very humble, It wasn’t strange that she didn’t speak much, it was just her nature,” the ex-colleague told the publication. 

The children were found dead on Thursday. The community has since pulled together and has been continuously placing flowers at the address where the tragedy occurred.